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President Donald J. Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska today—aiming to jumpstart a deal to end the Ukraine war.
The details: The heads of state will meet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage at 3:30 PM ET. Their itinerary includes:
- 1-on-1 meeting with interpreters only
- Working lunch with delegations
- Joint press conference
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a quick, impromptu photo-op/press gaggle before the 1-on-1.
Zoom out: Since taking office, just over 200 days ago, Trump has not been shy about his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. At times, he has voiced his frustrations with both parties—Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Why meet with Putin? Trump’s critics—both Democrats and RINOs—oppose his decision to meet with Putin. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended him, saying,
- “The president feels like, ‘Look, I’ve got to look at this guy across the table. I need to see him face-to-face. I need to hear him one-on-one. I need to make an assessment by looking at him.”
What are the odds of a deal? Trump told Fox News Radio: “There is a 25 percent chance this meeting will not be a successful meeting.”
What is Putin saying? On the eve of these historic talks, the Russian leader said Trump “is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the fighting, stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved in the conflict.”
What’s Zelensky up to? He flew to London yesterday to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer’s office said the Trump-Putin summit presents “a viable chance to make progress.”
The numbers: A new Gallup poll found that 69 percent of Ukrainians support seeking a negotiated peace to end the war as soon as possible—up from just 27 percent in 2023. Just 24 percent want to continue fighting.
The goal: The White House has already stated publicly that it does not expect to walk out of Anchorage with a deal. However, a senior official told Politico that Trump is “intent on delivering the beginnings of peace.”
What would happen next? Trump says, if the meeting goes well, he will return to D.C. and look to schedule a summit with Putin, Zelensky, and European leaders. If it doesn’t go well, he is “not calling anybody.”
Hillary said what? Failed presidential nominee Hillary Clinton recently said: “[H]onestly, if he could bring about the end to this terrible war… without putting Ukraine in a position where it had to concede its territory… I’d nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.”
Real talk from G: Temper your expectations for today’s meeting. But don’t temper your appreciation for a president who is genuinely working to bring peace.
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